Spring 2009 Issue
Art major Gina Hunt's journey into a new medium demonstrates how discovery and invention can be part of an artist's education. The result is a vibrant, textural painting—and a heightened sense of self–confidence for the artist.
As sophomores in the pre–med track, Brittany Frank and Sarah Karalus were looking for ways to improve their chances of getting accepted into medical school. When they approached Dr. Michael Bentley about possible research projects, they embarked on a two–year journey that has earned them national recognition for their work.
Undergraduates BreAnna Kruger and Amanda Trost are testing the theory that conditioning classes improve students' fitness levels. For their efforts, they've been rewarded with an Undergraduate Research Conference grant—and acceptance into highly competitive doctoral programs in physical therapy.
The 2009 Distinguished Faculty Scholar Award winners have earned knighthood, awards from the National Endowment for the Arts, and Fulbright fellowships. But it is their dogged pursuit of excellence in research and creative activity that makes them truly extraordinary.
When the Minnesota Department of Transportation needed practical solutions to ensure road bases are compacted adequately, they contacted Minnesota State Mankato's Center for Transportation Research and Implementation. Headed by civil engineering faculty members Jim Wilde and Aaron Budge, the Center focuses on applied research that contractors in the transportation field can use to solve the problems they face on a daily basis.
